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In Canglan Court.

Xiao Qing got her period unexpectedly, and it was the first time she had ever experienced such a sensation.

She was fourteen years old, the right age for a girl to have her first menstrual cycle, so it was normal. However, there was no warning sign, no mental preparation for her at all.

She was aware of what a period was like; she had washed menstrual cloths for her mistress during her periods. Therefore, when she went to the latrine, she knew she wasn’t just having diarrhea, but that her period had started.

But she didn’t expect the period cramps to be so painful and unbearable.

When her mistress had her periods, she acted as if nothing was wrong, only complaining about how menstrual belts were difficult to wash and inconvenient and how she couldn’t sleep too soundly.

The side effects didn’t seem significant to her mistress, yet Xiao Qing’s reaction was far too strong.

She was at a loss, having been caught completely off guard with no preparations for her first period. She squatted in the latrine for a long time, unsure of what to do.

It wasn’t until her master awoke and didn’t see her that everyone remembered she had been in the latrine the whole time and hadn’t come back.

Concerned about her dignity, her master, who respected the differences between men and women, came to find her in person. After learning what happened, the master even had Pang Ya bring her one of her own menstrual belts to use, which moved Xiao Qing deeply.

The master seemed careless, but she was incredibly considerate, a fact Xiao Qing knew well.

If it had been Xiao Jizi or the others who came, she would have died of embarrassment. Her master was truly thoughtful.

Now, Xiao Qing was lying in the room, not going on duty, and Pang Ya had made her a brown sugar and egg soup that made her stomach feel better. Her flow was still heavy, and Pang Ya, seeing this, said it was rather torrential, so she brought her several menstrual belts to use.

In the Side Hall, Lian Hua sat with her chin propped in her hands, absorbed in deep thought, drifting to who knows where.

Xiao Jizi called out to her twice with no response, which made him glance at Xiao Linzi. Xiao Linzi just gazed back, confused.

He thought to himself, never mind, what good ideas could this idiot have?

After a while, Lian Hua suddenly snapped out of her reverie, sat upright, and said to them, "Um, Xiao Qing hasn’t been feeling well these past few days. You two should help her out a bit more."

Xiao Linzi couldn’t help but ask, "Master, is Xiao Qing..."

Before he could finish, Xiao Jizi covered his mouth and laughed, "Don’t worry, master, we understand. We definitely won’t let Xiao Qing get too tired."

"That’s good." Lian Hua coughed unnaturally.

"Mmm..." Xiao Linzi struggled.

Xiao Jizi smiled while whispering in his ear, "If you stop asking, I’ll let you go."

Xiao Linzi nodded frantically. Brother Xiao Ji was about to smother him.

After seeing his nod, Xiao Jizi finally let him go.

This fool was clueless, utterly blind to social cues.

He even wanted to follow the master to the latrine earlier, this idiot!

And then asking what was wrong with Xiao Qing, why she spent so long in the latrine, whether her legs had gone numb from squatting.

Listen to these questions, are these something you ask?

Does he have no respect for a girl’s dignity?

He truly was inflexible; it was actually him who had called Pang Ya to accompany the master there.

Now that it was all over, this idiot still wanted to ask further questions. He really didn’t know what to say.

Lian Hua gave Xiao Jizi a glance, her face showing a bit of unease. Certainly, this astute eunuch knew what was going on, but pretending not to know, well, that was just perfect.

She pretended not to see the look of hurt and confusion on Xiao Linzi’s face.

For girls, getting their ’little days’ is always something hard to talk about, she understood this very well herself, she had been the same when it first happened to her; all flustered, she even thought she was dying.

She owed a lot to an old Nanny back then, who taught her what to do; otherwise, she wouldn’t have had a clue.

But Xiao Qing seemed to have started late, Lian Hua mused to herself, why did she still look so uncomfortable, pale and sweating profusely; could it be due to her weakness?

Although Xiao Qing looked tall and sturdy, she had only been well-fed for the past two or three years. When she had first come alongside Lian Hua, she had been nothing but a sprout, with dull, yellow hair and a thin, withered appearance, clearly someone who had never had enough to eat.

"Could it be a case of an imposing exterior hiding a frail interior?" she speculated, murmuring to herself, "Still, it’d be best to ask Charcoal Head for his opinion."

Another day, perhaps, Xiao Qing surely couldn’t face that now.

As long as it wasn’t meeting with the Imperial Physician, she was quite willing. His Majesty and Nanny Qi had said that one should not conceal one’s sickness and refuse medical treatment. She intended to pass these words onto Xiao Qing.

As soon as Xiao Linzi heard this, he obediently stepped outside.

Xiao Jizi was startled and asked behind him, "Numbskull, where are you going?"

Could he be upset? No way, this numbskull didn’t seem like the type to get angry. He forbade asking for the numbskull’s own good, right? If they really did ask, and their master got mad out of embarrassment, then they might just be in for a lashing with the rattan.

Lian Hua also turned to look, hmm? What was Xiao Linzi up to?

Xiao Linzi, just as he stepped out of the doorway and heard the question, stopped and turned back: "Brother Xiao Ji, didn’t our master say he wants the Imperial Physician? I’m going to find Charcoal Head for master."

Lian Hua, startled, stood up and immediately denied, "I, I didn’t!"

"Ah? But didn’t you just say..." Xiao Linzi was puzzled.

"You, you, you don’t talk nonsense." Lian Hua was getting anxious, stammering her words.

Xiao Jizi saw her reaction and understood the misunderstanding, quickly reassuring Lian Hua, "Master, don’t worry. You were talking about getting the Imperial Physician for Xiao Qing, weren’t you?"

"Right, right, right! That’s it, not for me." She was scared to death; if Nanny Qi were here, she would’ve certainly thought something had happened to her.

That Xiao Linzi!

Xiao Jizi quickly walked up to Xiao Linzi, tugged on him, and scolded, "Numbskull, don’t scare the master. The master didn’t command us just now; she was pondering over getting one for Xiao Qing."

"Oh..." Xiao Linzi seemed to get it, then: "Shall I go now?"

Xiao Jizi turned back: "Master, when would you like to ask for him?"

Lian Hua breathed a sigh of relief, sat back down, poured herself a glass of water to calm her nerves, and said, "Hmm... let’s wait a few days, see how Xiao Qing is doing first before we decide.

But Xiao Linzi, you mustn’t act so rashly in the future.

I’ll have you ask when I want you to, and you must not go asking if I didn’t tell you to. "

Xiao Linzi scratched his head, seeming to have gotten it, yet also not quite.

Like just now, when the master mentioned asking Charcoal Head to take a look, would that count as an order from the master?

Seeing him getting puzzled again, Xiao Jizi chimed in, "Alright, master, don’t worry, I’ll have a good talk with him in private, give him a little lesson, you just wait."

"He is teachable indeed." Lian Hua smiled at Brother Xiao Ji, giving him a thumbs up, feeling reassured.

Brother Xiao Ji was elated, pulled Xiao Linzi by the shoulder, moving him aside, and lowered his voice by an octave, about to commence his lecture, but then he couldn’t help glancing back after sensing her gaze.

Lian Hua hurriedly averted her eyes, pretending to continue pouring water. She considered herself a person of virtue and decorum, not one to eavesdrop.

Brother Xiao Ji suppressed a laugh within, then turned back again, lowering his voice, "Numbskull, you must avoid such rash actions in the future. Other matters are negotiable, but when it comes to summoning the Imperial Physician, extreme caution is required."